This invention relates to a still video camera, also referred to as an electronic still camera, for imaging a subject by an electronic image pick-up device and recording the resulting still video signal on a magnetic disc.
Since a still video camera is adapted to process color video signals, adjustment of the color balance of chrominance signals is required. Conventional still video cameras come equipped with a color temperature sensor for measuring the color temperature of an illuminating light inclusive of sunlight, and a color balance adjustment is made based on the color temperature sensed by the sensor.
When a subject is photographed by using a strobe, a flash is emitted and there is a momentary change in color temperature as a result. Though a color adjustment circuit is capable of responding satisfactorily to a momentary flash when a color balance adjustment based on color temperature detection is carried out, the color temperature sensor itself cannot respond fast enough to the flash. This makes it difficult to adjust the color balance.
A camera which performs a color balance adjustment under constant conditions is disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication (KOKAI) No. 58-147721. In the disclosed camera, which is capable of switching between a tungsten light mode and a daylight mode, the photographic mode is fixed in the daylight mode in response to completion of preparations for strobe light emission. However, the camera merely fixes the color temperature at the completion of the strobe light emission preparations, so that the fixed color temperature does not relate to the actual strobe light emission. Accordingly, problems arise when a still video camera is operated in a movie/still mode as described in the following. Specifically, the still video camera has a video output element for outputting a movie video signal (namely a video signal indicative of a moving or animated picture) of the subject being imaged by the camera lens system. The video output terminal of the element is connected to a video tape recorder or the like to record (and/or display) the moving picture of the subject, and still pictures at certain instants of time are recorded on a magnetic disc within the camera. A strobe is used when taking these still pictures. Consequently, from the moment the preparations for firing the strobe are completed until the actual firing of the strobe, a correct color temperature adjustment cannot be made with regard to the color of the moving picture being recorded on the video tape. As a result, the picture being produced at subsequent playback is of poor quality. Thus there is a need for a still video camera through which it is possible to playback a moving picture adjusted to the same color temperature at all times regardless of whether or not a strobe is used in recording a still image during the recording of a moving image.